T-boned at an intersection, car is wrecked, feeling sore — what do I even do first?

First — go get checked out. I said the exact same thing after my accident, 'I feel okay enough,' and two days later I could barely turn my head. Soft tissue stuff doesn't always hit you right away. Get it documented by a doctor ASAP, even urgent care is fine. That paper trail matters more than you think.

Do NOT let the other driver's insurance company record a statement from you right now. They will call you, they will sound super friendly and helpful, and that recorded statement can absolutely be used to minimize your claim later. You don't have to talk to them. Seriously.

I used to work on the claims side and I'll be real with you — the first offer on a total loss is almost never their best offer. They pull from valuation databases that can undervalue your vehicle, and they're banking on you just accepting it. You can and should counter with comparable listings in your area for a similar vehicle. Pull them yourself from actual car listing sites and submit them. It works more often than people realize.

A few things worth doing right now while it's fresh: back up that dashcam footage to multiple places (cloud, hard drive, whatever), take photos of your car from every angle before it gets moved or inspected by anyone, and write down everything you remember about the accident — time, direction you were traveling, what you saw right before impact. Details fade fast and you'll thank yourself later.

You have a dashcam video and a police report in your favor. That's a genuinely strong position to be in. Don't panic, but don't be passive either. Get a medical eval, document your symptoms daily in a notes app, and don't sign or agree to anything the insurance company sends you without understanding exactly what you're signing away.

Not legal advice, but what you're describing — clear liability, documented injury symptoms, and a totaled vehicle — is exactly the kind of situation where a free consultation with a PI attorney is worth your time. Most work on contingency so there's no upfront cost. At minimum it helps you understand what your claim might actually be worth before you start negotiating alone.

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Being in a crash is genuinely traumatic even when you walk away, and it sounds like you're still in that shock phase. Please don't try to handle everything tonight. Rest, make sure someone knows what happened, and tackle the calls and paperwork tomorrow with a clearer head.

I know it feels like a lot right now but you actually have more going for you than most people in this situation — footage, a favorable report, and you're upright and typing. That's genuinely a better starting point than a lot of folks deal with. Take care of yourself first and then deal with the insurance piece step by step.